Ruffling mechanism for sewing machines



R. BECKER RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR-SEW1NG` MACHINES `kann. 22 1924.

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 29

INVENTO WITNESSES:

Jan. 22, 1924.

R. BECKER RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR' SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 29. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESSES: MM Je ATTORNEY Patented Jan. Z2, 1924.

saires Parent orties.

Runonrnj BECKER, or: nosELLn PARK; NEW JERSEY; ASSIGNo-ny To; 'rien` smeert maNUnAc'runr-Ne coinrv, or ELIZABirri-nA nnwfannsn; A CoREOBA'rIoN on New. Jansma. l

Rorrnrne MEcHANIsM non, SEWING. MACHINEs.

Application sie@ september aaneen semaine. soeces.

To all whom t may concern.'`

Be it known that 1, lUDoLrHy BECKER, a citizen` of 'the United States, residing at Roselle Park, in the county, of Union and State of` New Jersey, haveinvented certain new: andv useful lmprovements in, Ruiiiing Mechanisms for Sewing` Machines, of, which the followingy is 1a, specification, reference vbeinghad therein to the accompanying draw- HlgSgj Thisinvention relates to sewing machines and has for an. object to provide an improved. forin` of ruf'flingv or plaiting mechanism, of sturdy constructionvv and. adapted, morev particularly, for use inv the operation of sewing hat linings or tips and so constructed that the operative parts maybe lifted clear of the work-support to, facilitate insertion and: removal of the work.

4Ak further yobjectv of the invention is t0 providey an improved landy simplified form` of actuating mechanism for operating-the ruffling blade, whereby the device may be caused to form but one fold or-'plait during the formation of a plurality of stitches.

A sewing machine equipped with the present plaiting mechanism is adapted for use in conjunction with` the work-holding and trimming devices disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 504,094, filed herewith. The plaiting blade is preferably mounted for up and downk yielding movement at the lower end of a carrier-arm which is fixed to a horizontal rock-shaft journaled in fixed bearings on the sewing mach-ine goose-neck. This rock-shaftreceives its motion` from a cam mounted adjacent'the base of the goose-neck and connected by suitable gears to the sewing Inachine Vmain-shaft which extends horizontally below the cloth-plate.

Through, the described. gearing the cam is given. one rotation for a plurality of rotations of the main-shaft and the ruling blade is thus given one complete reciprocation at intervals of a plurality of stitches. The length of the stroke of the ruffiing blade may be varied by ay suitable adjustment in the train of actuating connections between the camv and theirock-shaft which carries the ruiiiing blade. Anovel and important feature of the present improvement lies in the provision. of a separating blade or plate 'specti vel`yN carrying which is resilieritiy mounted on, the, Sewing machine presser-foot yet acts tolift the ruiiiing blade from the sewing machine clothyplate when the presser-foot is lifted fon-insertionv olf-removal of work.

In the. accompanying drawings, Fig. 1j is a sidejelevation of a Sewing' machine embodying the invention. Fig.` 2 is a fragmentary front elevation ofthe same.` Fig. 3 isa section onthe line 3 3, Figl, Fig; 4 is a.i view similar to Fig. 2 but onl a' larger scale toshow the actiont of. the ruffler-blade. Fig. 5, isa plan view of theparts adjacent the sewing point. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear-end elevationA of the machine ShQWillg the ruiifler-actuating mechanism.r Fig. 7 yis a( fragmentary raar-Side, elevation. of the machine showing the ruHier-actuating mechanism and Fig. Sfis a disassembled peISpective view ofthe rufiier-bladeand'the means whereby 'it is mounted onv its carrier-arm..y

'In the embodiment of the iiveiitQn` illustrated' the sewing machine. comprises a base 1, cloth-plate 2f and vgoose-neck; 3y terminating in theheadi inwhch are journals@ the usual needle.- and presser-bars,'5,l and, re-

t-he needle 7 and presser-,foot 8f. 'Ifihekpresser-foot; is springpressed'= as ulSlalt-oward the workY and may beT liftedr4 by swinging the` usual`r Cam-lever 9 .T,he needle-bar is reciprocated by the usual pitman connection 10 with a crankarm 11 on. thev needleoperating shaft 12 'which is, rocked byy the usual pitman connection v1,3 with a crankrpin 14 on the balance-wheel 15v4 mounted on` the main-shaft 165ke the latter extending below the, Clothplate Zand Carrying the usual rotary chainstitchy looper 17,'.l The usual four-motion feed-(10g2 18 cooperateswith the presser-foot 8 to feed thel work.

The. plaiting or rufliing blade 19 is journaledon theghorizontal pin 2O mounted on the lower end of the carrier-arm 21 which isfixedatfits upper end tothe. ruffler-operatingrock-shaft 2,2 journaled in the fixed bearings 2,3, and'24A oriy the goose-neck 3. A coil spring y25, Fig` 5 surrounding the, pin 2O yieldingly holds` the toothed end 26 of the ruiner-blade depressed toward the separating blade 27 which is preferably formed aty the end of the forward leg of the thin,

resilient, U-shaped armv 28, Fig 5, whichv of the work.

is strengthened by the' rib 29 and the rearward leg of which is rigidly secured to the presser-foot 8, as by brazing or other suitable means.

The ruiner-carrying rock-shaft 22 has fixed to its rearward end a depending slotted arm 30 adjustably carrying a lateral pin 31 entering a block 32 which is received by the slot 33 in the upwardly 'extending arm 34 of a lever pivoted at 35 to the goose-neck. The downwardly extending arm 36 of this lever is pivotally connected at 37 to one end of the pitman 38, the opposite end of which is forked at 39 to embrace the hub 40 of the gear 41 formed in one face with the cam-groove. 42 which receives the follower roll 43 mounted on the pitnian 38. The cam-groove 42 is concentric with the center of the gear 41 throughout the major portion of its circumference but has an eccentric portion 45 for imparting one complete reciprocation to the pitnian 38 per revolution of the gear 4l. By means of the reduction gears 46, 47 and 48, the cam-gear 4l is driven by the main-shaft 16 at a speed of `one revolution to say, five revolutions of the shaft 16. The blade 19 is thus caused to produce oneplait or fold a 'in the material Z9 for each five stitches made by the ma.- chine. n

The arm 28 yields sufliciently to permit the slight vertical movement of the presserfoot caused by the rising and yfalling movements of the feed-dog 18 without lifting the separator-blade 27 from the main body c of the work. The yielding action ofthe arm 28 also retains the separator-blade 27 at a constant level whilev the presser-foot 8 is lifted periodically to a higher level by the feed-dog, as the ruffling blade moves a fold of material under the toe end of the presser-foot. The presser-foot, being higher than the separator-blade at this time, permits the fold to be carried horizontally to and deposited under the presser-foot, which thereupon clamps the fold upon the clothpla-te without distortion or loss of control of the fold. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the separator-blade 27 underlaps the toe end of thel presser-foot, so that control of the fold in the work will be retained by the coaction of the blade 19 and plate 27 until such fold is deposited under the presser-foot Then the presser-foot is lifted clear of the work, however, the resilient arm29 is stili enough to lift the plate 27 and blade v19 against the relatively light tension of the spring 25 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thu-s permitting ready removal and insertion Mounted on the cloth-plate 2 isa suitable rest 49 and guidev 50 for the edge of the lining strip Zi or other material to be plaited. j The rest 49 is spaced above the clothy platesufciently to permit the passage of the main body c of the work thereunder and the guide 5() is adjustably mounted on the rest 49 by a screw and slot fastening 50.

in lieu of or in addition to the edgeguide 5() for the material to be plaited or ruliled, the edge-guise 51 may be employed. This latter guide is formed ywith a shank 52 which is secured by a thumb-screw 53 to the arm 28 carrying the separator-blade 27. The thumb-screw 53 passes through a slot 54 in the shank 52, thus permitting adjustment of the guide 51 transversely of the line of seam formation.

1n the operation of sewing hat linings the main body of the work is in the form of a square blank of stiifened material which is carried by a turn-table, suoli, for example, as disclosed in my said copending application, for presenting the work in an oval path to the needle. During the sewing operation portions of this blank, particularly the corners thereof, project a considerable distance to the right of the line of seamformation and it is for this reason that the restor support 49 for the guide 50 is spaced above the rcloth-plate 2 for a considerable distance to the right of the line of scamformation.

. Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein' is Al. The combination with a sewing machine presser-foot and feed-dog, of a reciprocating ruflling vblade mounted independently of said presser-foot, and a separatorblade carried by the presser-foot and underlapping said ruliiing blade and the toe end ofthe presser-foot.

2. The combination with a sewing machine presser-foot and feed-dog, of a reciprocating ruing blade mounted independently of the presser-foot and having a vertically yielding operative extremity, a separator-blade underlying said ruliling blade, and a yielding arm fixed at one end relative to said presser-foot and carrying said separator-blade, said arm being stili enough to lift the opera-tive extremity of the ruliling blade when the presser-foot is lifted.

3. A sewing machine having in combination, a yframe including a bed and overhanging goose-neck, stitch-forming feeding mechanisms incorporated in said frame and including a reciprocating needle, feed-dog and presser-foot, means for lifting the presser-foot, a rock-shaft journaled in fixed bearings on said goose-neck, means for rocking said shaft, an arm on said shaft, a ruining blade pivotally carried by said arm, and la separator-blade connected to the presser-foot and underlying said ruiiling blade.

and y 4. The combination with a sewing marator-blade underlying said ruling blade, a yielding U-shaped arm disposed at one side of the needle and carrying said separator-blade and xedly connected to said presser-foot, and an edge-guide mounted on said yielding arm at the same side of the needle as said arm.

5. A ruffling mechanism for sewing machines comprising, a rock-shaft, a ruiiing blade actuated by said rock-shaft, and means for rocking said shaft including a cam having active and dwell portions, gearing for driving said cam from the mainshaft of the sewing machine at a reduced speed, an arm on said rock-shaft, and an operative connection between said carn and arm.

6. ruiiling mechanism for sewing machines comprising, a rock-shaft, a rufliing blade actuated by said rock-shaft, and means for rocking said shaft including a cam having active and dwell portions, gearing for driving said cam from the main-shaft of the sewing machine at a reduced speed, an arm on said rock-shaft, a lever adjustably connected to said arm, a pitman secured at one end to said lever7 means for supporting the other end of said pitrnan for endwise movement7 and a follower carried by said pitman and in operative` engagement with said cam. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RUDOLPH BECKER. 

